Tag Archives: poetry

Today I saw the sunrise

By
Image by Sara Vaccari from Pixabay
Today I saw the sunrise
For the very first time.
I forgot to take my camera
So I'll describe it in this rhyme.

When we left home, the sky was dark,
Dark blue, pin-pricked with stars.
Everywhere was quiet and still,
On the road no moving cars.

We walked towards the pebbled beach,
My four-legged friend and me.
The sky was lit with orange
Along the edge, across the sea.

South along the shingle, looking
Back so I could see it,
I walked and turned and walked and turned,
I didn't want to miss it.

By the time we reached our walk's end,
The sky wore early morning light.
Its orange trim was retreating
But there was still no sun in sight.

Then a bright zigzag of orange
Painted plane trails in one spot.
It was coming!  It was coming!
Glowing light and burning hot!

So we sat down on the pebbles,
Glistening wet still from the sea,
And we watched the orange zigzags,
Well, my friend didn't, only me.

And it came then, just a little,
Glowing golden, almost white.
Just a tip above the ocean,
Smooth and fast now, gaining height.

Without dark shades, it was too bright,
So I shielded my eyes with my hand,
Peeked at our star between my fingers,
And blinked orange spots on the land.

The thing I've learned, and should have known,
Is really worth a mention -
Never attempt to view the dawn
Without ample eye-protection!

******************************

Violet's Vegan Comics logo

Violet’s Vegan Comics – creating funny, enlightening and sometimes action-packed vegan children’s books, poems and things to make & do, since 2012.

How many morons holiday here?

By

If you like it, why d’you trash it?

Do you have a brain at all?

Has your grey matter turned to splatter?

Tie your laces or you’ll fall.

*

So you buy it and you eat it,

Crap and junk degrade your mind.

Fat and flesh foods, blood and death foods,

You’d be brighter if you’d been kind.

*

But you’re not bright, you’re a moron,

Piles of crap wherever you’ve been.

It’s our world you declared war on,

Stupid stinker, eat your greens!

Sing a Song of Sixpence

By

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye,

Four and twenty sweet plums baked in a pie.

When the pie was opened the plums were soft within,

Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before my kin?

****

My dad was in the bathroom finishing his shave,

My mum was at the front door giving friends a wave,

My gran was in the garden sitting in the sun,

But they all came for plum pie with yellow custard on.

 

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For more vegan nursery rhymes, click here 😀

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vegan, vegan nursery rhymes, poetry, nursery rhymes, children’s rhymes, veggie kids, vegan children

 

There was a young man who swallowed a fly

By

There was a young man who swallowed a fly.

He didn’t mean to swallow a fly – I doubt he’ll die.

****

There was a young man who swallowed a fish,

A sad grey fish, dead on the dish.

And he did mean to swallow the fish

Unlike the fly – Perhaps he’ll die!

****

There was a young man who swallowed a bird,

How absurd, to swallow a bird!

And he did mean to swallow the bird

Unlike the fly – Perhaps he’ll die!

****

There was a young man who swallowed a pig,

Poor little pig who wasn’t big.

And he did mean to swallow the pig

Unlike the fly – Perhaps he’ll die!

****

There was a young man who swallowed a lamb,

Sweet little lamb, a baby ram.

And he did mean to swallow the lamb

Unlike the fly – Perhaps he’ll die!

****

There was a young man who swallowed a cow,

A gentle cow who’d grazed under the bough.

And he did mean to swallow the cow

Unlike the fly – Perhaps he’ll die!

****

And when the young man was not so young,

He felt the weight of all he’d done.

The fat in his liver and fuzz in his mind

Made him wish he’d at least been kind

And swallowed some tofu instead of fish,

And put beans not birds in his oven dish,

And swallowed brown mushrooms instead of piglets,

And cooked lentils and onions instead of lamb cutlets.

If only, he wished, he’d not eaten a cow

Then surely he’d be in good health right now.

****

There was a young man who swallowed a fly.

Of course he’ll die, but that’s not why.

**************************************************************************************

vegan, vegetarian, vegan nursery rhymes, vegan poem, nursery rhyme parody, humor, vegan children

Bonny Brenda

By

Bonny Brenda

Met a vendor

At the Summer Fayre.

Said bonny Brenda

To the vendor,

“What have you got there?”

***

“Oh lots of things,”

The vendor said,

“There’s pies and breads and pasties,

Steak and kidney,

Sausage rolls,

And even bacon butties.”

***

Brenda frowned,

She was not pleased,

She found his stuff distasteful.

His folding table,

Six feet wide,

Held entrails by the plateful.

***

“Sorry I asked,”

Said Brenda at last,

“That’s yucky, you’re disgusting!

And if you think

This doesn’t stink,

You need your brain adjusting!”

*****************************************************

For more nursery rhymes click here 😀

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vegan nursery rhymes, vegan children, veggie kids, vegetarian, poems, poetry, children’s rhymes, children’s poems, vegan poems, animal rights

Angry Vegan

By

I try not to be an angry vegan,

I’m treading on eggshells you know,

So as not to upset fragile meaties,

And milkies and egg-lovers too.

********

The reason I ask them so gently,

To please stop paying for death,

Is because they say they won’t listen,

If I offend them by telling the truth.

********

And so while I tiptoe on eggshells,

They continue to breed and to kill,

The gentle, magnificent, blameless beasts,

Helpless slaves to the gluttonous will.

********

Well I am an angry vegan!

I feel fury and heartbreak and rage!

You hurt them, you break them, you kill them!

When you pay for their parts with your wage.

********

There is no excuse, you are heartless,

And I’m tired of pretending otherwise.

You hurt them and kill them for pleasure,

For your tastebuds’ habitual vice.

Hickory Dickory Dock

By

Hickory dickory dock,

I’ve got a hole in my sock.

The sock’s the one

With piggies on,

Hickory dickory dock.

Ickledy spickledy speck,

My scarf is around my neck.

The scarf’s the one

With ducklings on,

Ickledy spickledy speck.

Umbuldy tumbuldy tack,

I wear my bag on my back.

The bag’s the one

With moo cows on,

Umbuldy tumbuldy tack.

Spirally jirally jook,

My things have my friends on, look:

There’s pictures of

The ones I love,

Spirally jirally jook.

***********************************

For more vegan nursery rhymes, pop over here 😀

 

Unnecessary Suffering

By

My flesh to you is unnecessary,

And my milk’s unnecessary for you,

So if none of these is necessary

Then my suffering’s unnecessary too.

******************

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare‘s governing document states:

1.1 The objects of the charity are
(1) To prevent and relieve cruelty to animals and to protect them from UNNECESSARY SUFFERING and to promote and encourage a knowledge and love of animals and of their proper care and treatment.

and yet they serve meat, fish, dairy and eggs in their cafe.

Tell them they’re breaking their own laws!

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare,
The Broyle, Ringmer,
East Sussex,
BN8 5AJ
Tel: (01825) 840252
info@raystede.org

And don’t forget to sign and share the petition 😀

Thank you 🙂

 

Listening to the mouse in the wall

By

I lay in bed listening

To the mouse in the wall.

He doesn’t know I’m here,

I think I’ll call him Paul.

****

He always comes at bedtime

To find his winter stash.

He must be very hungry,

Scratch and scrape and bang and bash.

It sounds just like marbles

That he rolls above my head,

But I think it must be nuts,

They sound loud when I’m in bed.

****

I’m glad Paul won’t go hungry,

He works hard for every bite,

But I wish he’d work the day shift

So I could sleep at night.

 

 

Plastic’s Not Fantastic

By

You know plastic’s not fantastic

And it might seem rather drastic

But the obvious solution

Is a New Year’s resolution

To give unfantastic plastic the heave-ho.

So that’s what we’ve decided,

We’re determined to be guided

By the needs of Earth and Earthlings

To be free of all plastic things,

So to all new things of plastic we say NO!

Check out our Plastic Avoidance Tactics 😀

A Handsome Fellow

By

Here is the fellow

I met yesterday,

I don’t know his name,

He didn’t say.

But he was so handsome,

So elegant was he,

I quietly admired him,

Or was he a she?

****************

Can somebody tell me – is he a partridge?  And is he a he or a she?

Such a beauty 😀

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bird, birds, animals, wild animals, wildlife, garden, garden birds, poem, poetry

Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 5

By

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare

The Broyle, Ringmer, East Sussex, BN8 5AJ, UK

Tel:  (01825) 840252

e:  info@raystede.org

Today I saw some horrible men

Who were happy in their pursuit

Of rabbits with their tiny dogs

Who were sent down the holes by the brutes.

These horrible men, these are the type

Who work at the pig farm or kill shed.

They hang and they slash, they pluck and they chop,

And afterwards sleep sound in their beds.

And while they sleep, these horrible men,

Some nice people smile and are friendly.

At their fundraiser for a good cause

They eat ham rolls and beef ravioli.

Horrible men, paid by the masses,

To torture and batter and kill.

The coins in those brutal, blood-stained hands

Are from Raystede’s blood-stained till.

I’m so sorry to have to write such a sad poem when we were in such a happy place looking at the other sanctuaries this week, but for the animals’ sake I have to draw your attention to this again.

It’s true that there are many animal charities which confine themselves to working for just one, or a couple of species – eg Cats’ Protection, Dogs Trust – but Raystede never used to be one of these.

Their website used to display the slogan: “We believe that every animal has the right to health, happiness and freedom from suffering” but since this campaign started they have taken it down.

Raystede was started in the 1950’s by a woman, born in 1902, who had convictions and compassion as strong as those of the other sanctuary hosts we’ve met this week.  She described herself as a ‘non-meat eater’ and, as she reiterated again and again, cared about ALL animals, without exception.  Miss M Raymonde-Hawkins wrote in her book Sensible Pets and Silly People,

“My own view, and that of every decent minded person, is that no animal should be caused to suffer at all for any reason.”

and

“Too often our entertainment, our food, our clothing and so-called sport are all at the expense of animals and a civilised society in years to come will look back with horror at the way that we have exploited animals during this century.”

She concluded her book with:

“Those of us who have grown old in the work and who have so little to encourage us for the future welfare of animals can at least only hope that having carried the banner so far, we can, in falling, fling it to the hosts behind to carry on the work and hope that they will be more successful than we have been during this century.”

She died in 1998 and the “hosts behind” dropped the banner.

They betrayed her.

They betrayed the animals.

Roll up your sleeves guys, looks like this is gonna take a while.

Let’s Shawshank them!

We can do this.

For as long as it takes.

For the sake of back-to-front Grace and Archie No-Tail  in Hugletts’ video, and all the billions of others, please join this campaign and tell Raystede to make their cafe vegan.

Write a letter a week (or email or phone call) until Raystede stops serving the products of animal cruelty.

Until they stop instigating unspeakable suffering.

Thank you so much.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare

The Broyle,

Ringmer,

East Sussex,

BN8 5AJ,

UK

Tel:  (01825) 840252

e:  info@raystede.org

 

Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 1

By

Tower Hill Stables

Asheldham , Essex

Fiona Oakes and Martin,

They’re such a funny pair.

Like vegan superheroes

They’re running here and there.

At Tower Hills, their sanct’ry,

They never seem to stop.

They have so many rescues,

They work until they drop.

So look them up and you’ll see

The lovelies in their care,

And help them if you can please,

When you’ve got a bit to spare.

❤ 😀 ❤

The Tower Hill Stables team are currently trying to raise money to build a new enclosure for the poultry because of DEFRA rules that they have to be kept in over winter to prevent bird flu and they’ve been lucky enough to find a generous benefactor who has promised to match whatever they can raise towards this build.  So, if you donate, say £10, the sanctuary will get £20!  A great opportunity but it’s a limited time offer and the appeal must end 31st December 2017.  Do help if you can 😀

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vegan, vegetarian, athlete, vegan athlete, animal sanctuary, animals, animal rescue, marathon running, marathon running.

A Little Sprite – again

By

Last night I saw a little sprite

Who told me what to do:

“Eat only plant food,

It’s much better for you.”

****

She fluttered and she floated

And she smiled down on me,

“Plant food is meant for you,

Just try it and you’ll see.”

****

I woke up and I sat up

And I looked from floor to beam.

I saw no sprite, there was no sprite,

She must have been a dream.

****

But still I could not shake her

Which was because, I knew,

She was real inside my head

And what she said was true.

Fairy Tales Fairy Tales

By

It’s way past time for a new Fairy Tale and, since we’re approaching Halloween it’s the perfect time.  So, on Monday, we’ll begin a scary new tale by Maud Earnshaw, illustrated by Beatrice Wilberforce:

The Wicked Witch’s Plan To Get Rid Of Everyone

Ooh, I’ve got shivers 😮

And, just to get you in the mood, here’s a poem (read it aloud, slowly) 🙂 :

fairy-tales-fairy-tales

“T-wit T-woo,” go the owls,

Sc-ratch and dangle, the spiders.

The witch is thinking, she frowns, she scowls,

New brooms fly by with riders.

***

A flickering light, the rising of smoke,

From the clearing, through the trees,

Gives away the location of quivering folk

Around the fire, on their knees.

***

In a fairy tale world with fairy tale rules

The wicked have much to fear.

They’ve been unkind, selfish, heartless fools,

Which won’t be tolerated here.

***

Fairy tales, creepy tales, mystical magic tales,

Castles and fairies and witches and ghosts.

Suspend disbelief for these ‘anything can happen’ tales,

Where innocents get rescued and evil gets smote.

witchy-tale

See you Monday 😉

What?  You don’t want to wait ’til Monday?  Well, I wasn’t going to tell you this but …. ok, The Wicked Witch’s Plan To Get Rid Of Everyone was originally published with sinister black and white illustrations by the author and with the title The Wicked Wicked Witch and the Ruinous Manipulation – funnily enough it’s the story referred to in the video I showed you yesterday.  Anyway, if you like it dark and sinister and don’t want to wait for Beatrice’s colourful version, you can read the story now at Maud’s place:  https://thewickedwickedwitchandtheruinousmanipulation.wordpress.com/

Have fun! 😮

Recommended Reading: FRUITS – A Caribbean counting poem

By

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

We love this book!

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

It’s so perfect!  Full of vibrant colour and light.

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

Valerie Bloom’s happy, funny poem is gorgeously illustrated by David Axtell.

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

Every page is full of delicious mischief and tasty, sweet, juicy fruit.

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

The rhyming story is told in the first person from the point of view of a delightfully naughty little girl who loves fruit and eats as much as she can get her hands on while teaching little sis how to get it without getting caught.

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

The written-in Caribbean accent naturally adds sunshine to the words and you really feel like you’re inside the head of big sis; which makes you as eager as she to taste all those juicy fruits.

Fruits - a Caribbean counting poem

I probably shouldn’t show any more, wouldn’t want to spoil the ending 😉 You really should get down to the library and borrow this wonderful book (or get your own copy) – especially if you’ve got a little one who’s learning to count.

Highly highly recommended 😀

Me and My Pal

By

DSCN6773

He’s acts gruff and I’m so dainty

But we seem to get on quite well.

He pretends to be tough but he’s soft really

And he likes me, I can tell.

****

He likes his space and I like to snuggle –

He lets me, not often, but sometimes.

I wouldn’t go so far as to give him a cuddle

But he’s my best pal for all times.

Bodie and Duster (3)

Ode to Spike Milligan

By

1 Spike and me

Silly Verse FOR KIDS by Spike Milligan was one of my favourites as a child (I saved up for it with my pocket money and bought it from the village shop) and I still love it.  So I decided to make something similar, full of funny, quirky poems: HUMANS ARE NOT OMNIVORES [poems your teacher might not like] (I decided not to beat around the bush with the title!)

Spike Milligan was a brilliantly irreverent vegetarian comedian and author who died in 2002 at the age of 83.  He campaigned against factory farming and vivisection and was once thrown out of Harrods for trying to stuff 28lb of spaghetti down the mouth of the food hall manager because they sold pate de foie gras.

“I told him it might give him some idea of how a goose feels being force-fed maize” he said.

children's poems

I modelled our new book on his, making it the same size and the same layout, so it’s only a little one – just 11cm x 18cm.

children's poems

children's poems

children's poems

children's poems

His is a Puffin book, published by Penguin.  Ours is a Little Chicken book, published by Violet’s Vegan Comics 😉

children's poems

And both are full of quirky, eccentric, funny poems for kids like ‘Mary Pugh’, above or a selection from Wacky Verse, examples below 😀

children's poems

children's poems

children's poems

children's poems

I hope Spike would have liked it.  I hope you like it too.

All you kids who are sick of being told at school that humans are omnivores – this one is for you! 😀 😀 😀

A Little Sprite

By

vegan poem

Last night I saw a little sprite

Who told me what to do:

“Eat only plant food,

It’s much better for you.”

****

She fluttered and she floated

And she smiled down on me,

“Plant food is meant for you,

Just try it and you’ll see.”

****

I woke up and I sat up

And I looked from floor to beam.

I saw no sprite, there was no sprite,

She must have been a dream.

****

But still I could not shake her

Which was because, I knew,

She was real inside my head

And what she said was true.

The Clock Ticks

By

collage clock

Every day the clock ticks on,

Around us the moon, while we round the sun.

First Winter then Spring then Summer then Fall,

Through all time ticks on, disregarding us all.

****

Machines and gadgets that progress has brought

Fill homes and lives and contaminate thought.

It’s not progress for the Earth, our Mother,

Miraculous Nature whose gifts we plunder.

****

But She is resilient and could be returned

To Her former glory if lessons are learned.

If we could tread lightly, be gentle and kind,

The damage we’ve done might reverse and rewind.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

By

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

How the meat gets to the plate is something quite atrocious,

Gentle souls are cruelly killed by humans so ferocious,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

***

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

***

Those gentle souls of hoof and wing

Have done nothing to me.

I’d like for them to run and sing,

I’d love to set them free.

***

And then one day I realised

Exactly what to do.

I gave up meat and veganised

And you could do that too,   oh ….

***

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

How the meat gets to the plate is something quite atrocious,

Gentle souls are cruelly killed by humans so ferocious,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

***

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

Um diddle diddle diddle, um diddle ay

***

I found that I did not miss out

On tasty things to eat.

My vegan meals without a doubt

Are much better than meat.

***

There’s sausage rolls and pies and flan

And chips and pizza too.

There’s cakes and sweets and marzipan

All cruelty-free for you,  oh ….

***

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

How the meat gets to the plate is something quite atrocious,

Gentle souls are cruelly killed by humans so ferocious,

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

U is for unethical, unprincipled, unkind ….

By

Why photograph

Killing animals is unethical,

It’s unprincipled and unkind.

Eating meat is unhealthy,

It’s unsavoury and unsound.

***

So why do humans do it,

This unsightly unwholesome crime?

It’s unwarrantable, it’s unwarranted

And entirely unjustified.

Why photograph - Copy

The U page is right here, and the whole dictionary is just there 😀

Three Simple Rules

By

Jill

“Thou shalt not steal!”

Said Sam to Neil,

“You should not lie,”

Said Jane to Si.

“It’s wrong to kill,”

Said all to Jill

As she ate her big pork pie.

***

“I’d never steal!”

Replied cross Neil,

“I do not lie!”

Outraged was Si,

“I would not kill!”

Snapped back young Jill

As she swallowed piglet pie.

piglet

If you go down to the woods today …

By

Guntotin Goodfernuffink

To the tune of Teddy Bears’ Picnic, All together now 😉

If you go down to the woods today

You’d better not take your gun.

If you go down to the woods today

You won’t have your usual fun.

***

For there’s a girl, like no other was

Who’ll follow you there for certain because

Today’s the day Reflecto Girl

Gets some justice!

Reflecto Girl

Reflecto Girl #4: Guntotin Goodfernuffinks coming soon!

If you’ve never met Renée before, check out Reflecto Girl Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3 for the story so far, they’re all on the ‘age 8 and up’ page 😀

Life-Giving Force

By

pop crackle

Pop and crackle,

Fizz and bubble,

The witch stirs her cauldron

On the fire in her hovel.

***

She shrieks at the night

It will happen alright,

The life-giving force

Of her potion’s in sight.

***

It’s got onions and greens,

Carrots and beans,

There’s garlic and lentils,

She’s hungry and keen

To gobble it up,

From bowl and from cup,

The magic of plants

She’ll slurp and she’ll sup.

sup and slurp

The Doctor Said

By

doctor said

“He’ll soon be dead,”

The doctor said

As she stood at the end

Of her patient’s bed.

***

“He ignored my advice,

Never gave up his vice,

‘Those flesh foods will kill you’

I said more than twice.”

***

The nurse shook his head

As he straightened the bed,

“Avoidable suffering,

What a waste,” he said.

nurse said

Touch the Earth

By

touch the Earth

Touch the Earth

Feel the Earth,

In contact with your skin.

It just feels good

Like soft earth would,

And soothes you from within.

*****

Earthing:  ” the practice of connecting the body with earth by touching skin to a conductive material such as grass (preferably wet), wet sand, a river, lake or sea. …… When the body loses contact with the earth it can carry a positive voltage relative to the Earth. Some people believe this is not good for health and wellbeing.  Earthing the body returns the voltage to zero “

Chickens Are People Just Like Dogs

By

chickens are people

Chickens are people

Just like dogs.

They enjoy dust baths

And jumping on logs.

  chickens are people

Chickens will play games

Like ‘chase’ and ‘steal your smalls’.

They’ll splash you in the paddling pool,

Though not keen on fetching balls.

chickens are people

Some of them are gentle, 

Some of them are tough.

Some of them are bossy, 

Some timid and soft as fluff.

  chickens are people

They all have personality

And every one is different.

Just like Rover and Fido and Max

They might be quiet or exuberant.

chickens are people

Javier Culotte loved to wear shoes.

By

vegetarian shoes

Javier Culotte loved to wear shoes,

He liked them in reds and he loved them in blues.

He sometimes wore tall ones, sometimes they were flat,

But none of them were leather, he made sure of that.

***

“Leather is not natural,” said Javier Culotte,

“It’s been tanned with dangerous chemicals.

The tanning makes sure the skin won’t rot,

So it’s not even bio-degradable.”

***

“The stink and the waste and the toxins from tanning,

Are not pleasant things to live by.

So most of it’s done a long way away,

In poor developing countries.”

***

“They use arsenic and cadmium, chromium and lead,

Mercury, nickel and cobalt.

They use copper and zinc, formaldehyde, nuf said,

Bad for feet, bad for health, bad by default.”

***

“These metals and dyes and organic compounds,

Are present in the leather.

They leak and may poison the skin of the wearer,

Through contact, through sweat, through blister.”

***

“It’s bad for the wearer and bad for the tanner,

And it’s carcinogenic to boot.

When dumped it poisons the Earth and ground water

So wearing it’s not too astute.”

***

“Whatever you want there’s no need for concern,

Vegan footwear has come a long way.

It has the style and function and quality you yearn,

For everything you need day to day.”

vegetarian shoes

Bikers and workers who shun leather gear

Opt for armoured, steel toe-capped synthetics. 

They feel safe in their weather-proof, hi-viz gear

Made from quality, long-lasting fabrics.

***

Javier Culotte loved to wear shoes,

He liked them in reds and he loved them in blues.

He sometimes wore tall ones, sometimes they were flat,

But none of them were leather, he made sure of that.

****

shoes drawing

Sources:

http://www.inspirationgreen.com/toxins-in-leather-shoes.html

http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/leather-industry/leather-environmental-hazards/

Vegan shoes:

 http://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/

http://www.beyondskin.co.uk/

http://wills-vegan-shoes.com/

http://www.ethicalwares.com/

http://www.freerangers.co.uk/

http://www.mooshoes.com/

http://www.veganchic.com/

Vegan Motorcyclist:

http://www.bebenroth.com/vegan%20motorcyclist/motorcyclist.html

http://www.peta.org/living/fashion/cruelty-free-gear-vegan-motorcyclist/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Motorcyclists/129648463741351

Isn’t it a yucky thing?

By

why would you wear cow skin

Why would you wear leather?

It’s cow skin you know,

Or goat skin or calf skin,

Or even kangaroo.

wearing leather's creepy

Why would you want to wear someone else’s skin?

Isn’t it a yucky thing to put your body in?

Everyone should have the right, if they have no other,

To keep their own skin fully attached, not have it worn by another.

right to keep their own skin

Come rhyme with me

By

Barbies

First these little gems by the lovely Barry Wax:

“You will eat anything,” said the cow to the Billy Goat.
“Not at all,” the goat burped with the flavor of the shoe on his lips.
The cow munched on the cud and thought the remark over.
“I am not sure who is worse in habits, you or the pig?”
The pig looked up offended. “I admit I eat slop but the goat will eat the buttons off a coat and then the coat.”
“I have you all beat said the human. I will eat the goat, the cow and the pig.”
The three nodded in fear for they realized the human was the worse and hoped he would not pick one of them for dinner.
Fortunately goosey came by and within seconds became the bon appetite for the night.

****

The vegetable from outer space never eat meat.

And so the human race was not the dish it meant to eat.

The vegetable from outer space was reddish in color,

It had seven eyes, four ears and a dozen tiny, tiny feet.

The vegetable from space had blood the color of blue,

It breathed oxygen and gave out CO2 and in the air flew.

The vegetable from space had a high IQ and came for peace,

It landed in the city and a homeless man fined him and did eat.

No more vegetable from outer space, no more savior of mankind,

For the homeless man the vegetable from outer space was food and there was no meal line.

****

What is an olive?

It is a fruit from an evergreen tree.

It has yellow flowers.

It makes olive oil.

There are green olives and black olives.

It has the good fat.

It fights heart disease.

I like it in my salad.

I like it on my pizza.

Olives are great.

****

The pair of pears were juicy.

The melon ripe and moist.

The watermelon was sweet.

With the fruit we rejoice.

The energy flowed through us,

It was vital and strong.

We harmed nothing in this post,

We are like the earth reborn.

****

A salad is on my mind.

Crispy lettuce of any kind.

Cucumber sliced and scattered around.

A few placed olives to be found.

A celery stalk on both sides.

A cream sauce moving like the tides.

A slice of pickle.

To make my mouth tickle.

My taste buds tingle and wait,

Got to eat that salad, it looks first rate.

Thanks Barry 🙂

And this next poem, about the joy of the world around us and our connection to it,

was written by Tokoni Uti who also wanted to join in.

Earth Poem

We are eating  from the womb of the earth.
We  are celebrating the patriots of birth.
We are dancing in her familiar rain.
And harvesting herbs for the healing of pain
The wrath of the sun kisses our shoulders.
And the caresses of the wind are getting bolder. 
The whispers of the wind cries in our ears.
The call of the sea embraces our fear.

Thanks for your contribution Tokoni 🙂

Appreciate the little things

By

still have a hot cup of tea

‘Twas the night before the weekend,

And something was in the air.

His face looked concerned when he told me,

Though he tried to hide his despair.

****

“The internet’s stopped working!

I don’t know what to do!”

To ease his mind by distraction I said,

“The hot water’s stopped working too!”

****

He reached for my hand and squeezed it,

Breathed deep and smiled at me.

“At least after your cold shower,” he said,

“You can still have a hot cup of tea.”

****

[Inspired by an internet-free 3 days which turned out to be very liberating and enjoyable.  Internet’s back but not the hot water – that’s ok, cold showers are very refreshing 😉 ]

The Ravens Watch

By

vegan poem

The gamekeeper walks, shotgun in hand,

A frown on his face, he litters the land

With barrels and bags of game bird feed,

With cages and wire, and bodies that bleed.

****

The bodies of animals killed by his gun

Are hung on the tree, one by one.

With hardness of heart, and misery of soul,

The gamekeeper’s is a grotesque role.

****

Day after day, and year after year

He does his job with no guilt and no fear.

What he doesn’t know is that someone is watching

And when the storm comes … his clock will stop ticking.

****

Land Rover won’t start, the engine’s kaput,

The storm closes in as he trudges on foot.

He strides for the castle, to find some shelter,

He’s whipped by debris as the wind rises higher.

****

It’s darker now as the rain lashes down.

The ravens watch the sinister clown.

He’s soaked and he’s angry, he yells at the sky,

And the lightening yells back “And now you must die!”

The Folly of Expert Opinions

By

flat-earth-society1

There was a time, long long ago

When they thought the world was flat.

They worried if they sailed the seas

They’d fall off the end of that.

ducking (1)

In centuries past, in primitive times,

They demonized herbal healers.

They’d label such gifted folk a witch.

Fear and ignorance led to murders.

fireball_v03

1908, the Siberian tundra

Was struck by a freak fireball.

Theories abound, though no cause has been found.

Was it meteorite or black-hole?

cropcircles3

10,000 crop circles in various forms

Have appeared since ’72

Caused by UFOs, wind or rabbits or hoax?

Who knows who knows?  Do you?

article-0-0274C406000004B0-736_468x286

And now here we are, Twenty-Fourteen,

A much more enlightened era.

The experts tell us as the ice starts to melt,

That we should try to live more greener.

go-green

Thoughtful, conscientious, sensible types

Recycle their plastic and drive less.

They walk or take the bus to work;

Use low wattage bulbs; try to redress.

animal farming enviro imp

But in 06 The United Nations

Found that animal farming’s the trouble,

Causing land degradation and water pollution,

Gas with high global warming potential.

Thailand1

The experts gathered and consulted and planned

What to do to solve the problem

Of global warming, pollution, disease

Caused by human animal-consumption.

COP14_-_Poznan_2008_UN_Climate_Change_Conference_-_-Troika-_Press_Conference_(Rasmussen,_Tusk,_Witoelar) (1)

“Urgent action is required,” they said,

“To remedy the situation.”

We need cows that don’t fart, recyclable manure,

And more efficient irrigation!

Thumbs up on green background

“Thank goodness for experts!” the populace cries,

“What would we do without them?

When scientists develop unflatulent cows

That will solve the global warming problem.”

N-A-U-542_720x350

“Wouldn’t it be easier,” a schoolboy asked

“To solve that long list of crises

By giving up meat and dairy and leather

And planting more veggies and fruit trees?”

teacher_36724503

“The experts would tell us,” his teacher replied,

“If there was anything we could do in a hurry.

There’s no need to resort to radical extremes,

Just recycle what you can and don’t worry.”

****

Click here to look at the report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.  Be aware, you might do a double take when you read that their proposed solutions to the problem are as indicated in the poem.  See Remedies including “Improving animals’ diets to reduce enteric fermentation and consequent methane emissions”

Remember I wanted a new hat?

By

recycling hats

Remember I wanted to make a new hat

With the yarn from old hats I’d unravelled?

Remember I said Random Rose made a hat,

A beret with ridges she cabled?

****

Well I followed the pattern that Rose kindly shared,

Though the yarn had lost elasticity.

The needles I used were not quite the right size,

But I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

****

So I finished my hat and I’m pleased how it went,

Cream and purple go well together.

I admit it turned out bigger than it was meant,

For my head is decidedly smaller.

****

As luck would have it, Miranda’s got a big head,

Though not the metaphorical kind.

So I decided to give it to her instead,

And I honestly really don’t mind.

recycled beret finished

recycled beret side

recycled beret back

Miranda's new beret